Memorable climbs
#1
aka Tom Reingold
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,503
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7348 Post(s)
Liked 2,471 Times
in
1,435 Posts
Memorable climbs
In 1981, I was 20 years old, and I gave my life (college, job, apartment) to travel. My father encouraged me, and he said that I wouldn't be likely ever again to have the unbounded time and the money to travel. Being 20 years old, I couldn't believe or grasp this, but I took his advice, which was to go until my money ran out. So of course, it was a memorable experience, traveling for three months wherever the rains led me. And I had a lot of rain.
My most memorable climb was in Harlech, Wales. I had developed a habit of pedaling up all the hills, resting when I needed but never walking. I remember on this hill, I had to stop and stand every few yards because it was so damned steep. Well, now I find out that Harlech has the steepest road in the world. I don't know if I took this exact route, but I did climb one of that town's steep roads.
My most memorable climb was in Harlech, Wales. I had developed a habit of pedaling up all the hills, resting when I needed but never walking. I remember on this hill, I had to stop and stand every few yards because it was so damned steep. Well, now I find out that Harlech has the steepest road in the world. I don't know if I took this exact route, but I did climb one of that town's steep roads.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Magnolia State, 100° with 110% humidity
Posts: 1,230
Bikes: American, Italian, and Japanese.. in no particular order.
Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 350 Post(s)
Liked 276 Times
in
128 Posts
Tom,
Sorry to hear that you were bumped out of the top three fastest by these carbon fiber blokes. I still vote you #1 !
Sorry to hear that you were bumped out of the top three fastest by these carbon fiber blokes. I still vote you #1 !
#3
Shifting is fun!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Holland, NL
Posts: 11,006
Bikes: Yes, please.
Mentioned: 280 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2198 Post(s)
Liked 4,601 Times
in
1,764 Posts
^^
I am a true flatlander and had never ridden up any hill before my fiftieth birthday, but to my own surprise I am beginning to like climbs. Not that I'm any good at it. But still.
The one that came to mind immediately was a road in Tuscany I encountered a few years ago. Up to Volterra, IIRC. Pfffff .....
This was near the end:
I am a true flatlander and had never ridden up any hill before my fiftieth birthday, but to my own surprise I am beginning to like climbs. Not that I'm any good at it. But still.
The one that came to mind immediately was a road in Tuscany I encountered a few years ago. Up to Volterra, IIRC. Pfffff .....
This was near the end:
#4
Bianchi Goddess
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Shady Pines Retirement Fort Wayne, In
Posts: 27,858
Bikes: Too many to list here check my signature.
Mentioned: 192 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2930 Post(s)
Liked 2,926 Times
in
1,491 Posts
I've never been a good climber.
Anyone remember or ever do that road race in Putney VT? I was the team mechanic and driver one summer and I took a few of the guys to the road race up there. I wasn't going to race but I was going to ride the route. Well I for some reason decided this was a good task for my RIGI. Upon pulling it from the van I realized I had forgotten to remove the 12-21 FW and put on a 13-23 to go with the 42/52 on the Super Record cranks. To make a long story short it was a long slow ride up and over the mountain and when I finally made it back to van we discovered I had actually used a 12-19!!!
Anyone remember or ever do that road race in Putney VT? I was the team mechanic and driver one summer and I took a few of the guys to the road race up there. I wasn't going to race but I was going to ride the route. Well I for some reason decided this was a good task for my RIGI. Upon pulling it from the van I realized I had forgotten to remove the 12-21 FW and put on a 13-23 to go with the 42/52 on the Super Record cranks. To make a long story short it was a long slow ride up and over the mountain and when I finally made it back to van we discovered I had actually used a 12-19!!!
__________________
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
#5
smelling the roses
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Tixkokob, Yucatán, México
Posts: 15,320
Bikes: 79 Trek 930, 80 Trek 414, 84 Schwinn Letour Luxe (coupled), 92 Schwinn Paramount PDG 5
Mentioned: 104 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7081 Post(s)
Liked 901 Times
in
612 Posts
The township road up to our house back in Ohio was surmountable on an upright bike. I couldn't do it on a road bike. It had a cinder/gravel surface, and was a half mile of Steep. I wonder if I could do it now.
#6
Ride, Wrench, Swap, Race
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern California
Posts: 9,194
Bikes: Cheltenham-Pedersen racer, Boulder F/S Paris-Roubaix, Varsity racer, '52 Christophe, '62 Continental, '92 Merckx, '75 Limongi, '76 Presto, '72 Gitane SC, '71 Schwinn SS, etc.
Mentioned: 132 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1565 Post(s)
Liked 1,296 Times
in
866 Posts
I've noticed that this area's "Mary Lane" near Meadow Vista gives me traction problems when cars pass, as I must stay off of the saddle and stay to the side of the road which is somewhat gravel-strewn. It's 20% as I recall, and makes for a high-intensity effort for 35 seconds than tapers off only slowly for the next hundred feet.
I don't like having to use any taller than a 42/28t or 39-26t ratio here!
I don't like having to use any taller than a 42/28t or 39-26t ratio here!
#7
Senior Member
Watching that video of the North Wales climb, now i know why I use mountain style shoes and SPD compatible pedals. Never know when you're gunna have to walk a bit
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Manhattan & Woodstock NY
Posts: 2,748
Bikes: 1987 Mercian Pro, 1985 Shogun 500, early '70s Falcon San Remo, 1972 Peugeot PX-10, 1972 Schwinn Paramount P13-9, 1971 Raleigh International, 1971 Peugeot PX-10, 1970 Raleigh Professional Mk1
Mentioned: 109 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 938 Post(s)
Liked 2,944 Times
in
981 Posts
[lefLots of them in Vermont. My very first tour up Burke Mountain in 1980, Lincoln and Brandon Gaps, the long slog northeast out of Manchester to Peru...but my very first climb in 1972 on a Schwinn Varsity from Albany to the escarpment at Thatcher Park stands out to this day. I looked it up, here’s the money shot:
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Manhattan & Woodstock NY
Posts: 2,748
Bikes: 1987 Mercian Pro, 1985 Shogun 500, early '70s Falcon San Remo, 1972 Peugeot PX-10, 1972 Schwinn Paramount P13-9, 1971 Raleigh International, 1971 Peugeot PX-10, 1970 Raleigh Professional Mk1
Mentioned: 109 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 938 Post(s)
Liked 2,944 Times
in
981 Posts
Lots of them in Vermont. My very first tour up Burke Mountain in 1980, Lincoln and Brandon Gaps, the long slog northeast out of Manchester to Peru...but my very first climb at age 15 on a Schwinn Varsity from Albany to the escarpment at Thatcher Park stands out to this day. I looked it up, here’s the money shot:
#10
verktyg
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 4,030
Bikes: Current favorites: 1988 Peugeot Birraritz, 1984 Gitane Super Corsa, 1980s DeRosa, 1981 Bianchi Campione Del Mondo, 1992 Paramount OS, 1988 Colnago Technos, 1985 RalieghUSA SBDU Team Pro
Mentioned: 207 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1036 Post(s)
Liked 1,238 Times
in
654 Posts
Never a good climber?
I've never been a good climber.
Upon pulling it from the van I realized I had forgotten to remove the 12-21 FW and put on a 13-23 to go with the 42/52 on the Super Record cranks. To make a long story short it was a long slow ride up and over the mountain and when I finally made it back to van we discovered I had actually used a 12-19!!!
Upon pulling it from the van I realized I had forgotten to remove the 12-21 FW and put on a 13-23 to go with the 42/52 on the Super Record cranks. To make a long story short it was a long slow ride up and over the mountain and when I finally made it back to van we discovered I had actually used a 12-19!!!
WE'RE NOT WORTHY! WE'RE NOT WORTHY!
https://tenor.com/view/were-not-wort...ld-gif-9201571
The Dirty Dozen Race is held in Pittsburgh, PA every year after right after Thanksgiving. It consists of climbing the 13 steepest streets in the city including Canton Ave. at 37%. It's the steepest paved road in the US.
@noglider Tom, great advice from your father. I'd did a similar thing except against my father's wishes and stretched it out off and on until I was 29.
All this talk of climbing makes me want to.... LAY DOWN!
verktyg
__________________
Don't believe everything you think! History is written by those who weren't there....
Chas. ;-)
Don't believe everything you think! History is written by those who weren't there....
Chas. ;-)
Last edited by verktyg; 03-05-19 at 09:57 PM.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,906
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Mentioned: 129 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4806 Post(s)
Liked 3,929 Times
in
2,554 Posts
I've never been a good climber.
Anyone remember or ever do that road race in Putney VT? I was the team mechanic and driver one summer and I took a few of the guys to the road race up there. I wasn't going to race but I was going to ride the route. Well I for some reason decided this was a good task for my RIGI. Upon pulling it from the van I realized I had forgotten to remove the 12-21 FW and put on a 13-23 to go with the 42/52 on the Super Record cranks. To make a long story short it was a long slow ride up and over the mountain and when I finally made it back to van we discovered I had actually used a 12-19!!!
Anyone remember or ever do that road race in Putney VT? I was the team mechanic and driver one summer and I took a few of the guys to the road race up there. I wasn't going to race but I was going to ride the route. Well I for some reason decided this was a good task for my RIGI. Upon pulling it from the van I realized I had forgotten to remove the 12-21 FW and put on a 13-23 to go with the 42/52 on the Super Record cranks. To make a long story short it was a long slow ride up and over the mountain and when I finally made it back to van we discovered I had actually used a 12-19!!!
Ben
#12
Senior Member
I used to do the Thatcher Park climb, and descent from Guilderland a few time a summer when I was a kid. Great ride, scary decent out of the other side of the park. Traffic, fast, sharp corners, and crappy old brakes.
#13
Senior Member
My neighbor and I are going to do the Whiteface mountain climb this spring in the Adirondacks.
#14
Me duelen las nalgas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,513
Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4560 Post(s)
Liked 2,802 Times
in
1,800 Posts
I've never lived anywhere with significant longer climbs, just lots of short steep climbs, more like sprints. Probably the closest I've been to real climbs would be San Diego and surroundings. Well, hang on a sec... now that I check Strava, Mount Soledad was a fairly significant climb -- 3.4 miles, 4% average, some steeper bits. Last time I tried it, I was in my 20s and wasn't trying to set any speed record on my 30 lb Motobecane, so it was challenging but not painful.
We don't have anything like that in this part of Texas. Best I can do is wait for a day with 20 mph headwinds and tackle local 2-6 mile 1% grades, wear a bandana on my head and pretend I'm a pirate.
We don't have anything like that in this part of Texas. Best I can do is wait for a day with 20 mph headwinds and tackle local 2-6 mile 1% grades, wear a bandana on my head and pretend I'm a pirate.
#15
Senior Member
The house I grew up in was on a 17% grade, and I've always lived in hilly areas. Climbing and riding are almost the same thing.
Anyway, some favorite climbs off the top of my head:
Eureka Canyon Road starting in Corralitos, California. It goes up to the top of the Santa Cruz range. Quiet and shady redwoods.
Crater Lake in Oregon. I think it's the 62 from Klamath. Pretty easy 5% sort of climb, though it goes up above 7000 feet at the top. Snow in August. Mostly amazing because of Crater lake.
Gibraltar Road from Santa Barbara to the Santa Ynez valley. Used to be no one knew about this climb. Now it's in the Tour of California. Still awesome.
Tassajara Road from Carmel Valley to the peak, I forget the name. It goes to the Zen center eventually. It's a gravel road, and few people are stupid enough to do it on a bike.
There are so many. The west coast is hilly. I apologize for the local bias, but I've never really ridden anywhere but California and Oregon. I did do some riding in Belgium and Holland a long time ago. There aren't any hills there.
Anyway, some favorite climbs off the top of my head:
Eureka Canyon Road starting in Corralitos, California. It goes up to the top of the Santa Cruz range. Quiet and shady redwoods.
Crater Lake in Oregon. I think it's the 62 from Klamath. Pretty easy 5% sort of climb, though it goes up above 7000 feet at the top. Snow in August. Mostly amazing because of Crater lake.
Gibraltar Road from Santa Barbara to the Santa Ynez valley. Used to be no one knew about this climb. Now it's in the Tour of California. Still awesome.
Tassajara Road from Carmel Valley to the peak, I forget the name. It goes to the Zen center eventually. It's a gravel road, and few people are stupid enough to do it on a bike.
There are so many. The west coast is hilly. I apologize for the local bias, but I've never really ridden anywhere but California and Oregon. I did do some riding in Belgium and Holland a long time ago. There aren't any hills there.
#16
Bianchi Goddess
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Shady Pines Retirement Fort Wayne, In
Posts: 27,858
Bikes: Too many to list here check my signature.
Mentioned: 192 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2930 Post(s)
Liked 2,926 Times
in
1,491 Posts
Lots of them in Vermont. My very first tour up Burke Mountain in 1980, Lincoln and Brandon Gaps, the long slog northeast out of Manchester to Peru...but my very first climb at age 15 on a Schwinn Varsity from Albany to the escarpment at Thatcher Park stands out to this day. I looked it up, here’s the money shot:
__________________
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
#17
Sophomore Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2,531
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1628 Post(s)
Liked 1,057 Times
in
631 Posts
Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park, February 2000. This is around 6000 feet, IIRC. Nice 19 mile climb from the town of Three Rivers on General's Highway takes you to around 7700 feet. Epic, Tour de France / Giro-worthy climb with many switchbacks.
Feb is usually a good month to go up there, but the $20 entrance fee mostly keeps me away these days. They used to let bikes in for free back then, but not any more.
Feb is usually a good month to go up there, but the $20 entrance fee mostly keeps me away these days. They used to let bikes in for free back then, but not any more.
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 3,421
Bikes: 1984 Miyata 310, 1986 Schwinn Sierra, 2011 Jamis Quest, 1980 Peugeot TH8 Tandem, 1992 Performance Parabola, 1987 Ross Mt. Hood, 1988 Schwinn LeTour, 1988 Trek 400T, 1981 Fuji S12-S LTD, 197? FW Evans
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 532 Post(s)
Liked 1,005 Times
in
514 Posts
When I was stationed at Alameda a group of us would ride up Joaquin Miller Road to Skyline Blvd and head north, toward the Caldecott Tunnel. The climb was not as steep as some of the others listed, but the reward was once we got on Skyline it was slightly downhill, with lots of twists and turns. It was like riding a roller coaster on your bike.
#19
Banned.
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 27,199
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 378 Post(s)
Liked 1,409 Times
in
909 Posts
I've done the Assault on Mount Mitchell a couple of times. I think it hurt more about 12 years ago, on a mountain bike, than it did the first time, on a Schwinn Varsity, when I was about 23.
Thunder Ridge in Lynchburg is pretty fun, 13 miles at a very steady 7%-8%, about 25 miles in. The course is set up well, as about 10 miles in, you get a 3/4 mile climb of the same pitch, when everyone stops chatting all of a sudden. The long climb is, in my mind, peaceful, and pretty.
Shop Hill in the Dairyland Dare, at about 100 miles in, well, that's a booger-bear. Mt. Tabor hill at the Hilly Hundred in Indiana is only about 350', but at 22%, a real stopper.
Running, I'd have to rate the Pikes Peak marathon as my worst climb ever, followed by Maggie Valley NC's 2.5 miles of horror in the Maggie Valley run. Heartbreak Hill in Boston and Lee's Revenge in Richmond are right up there. I've run the Wells Fargo climb in Raleigh, NC, 34 stories of stairs, and that's enough.
Thunder Ridge in Lynchburg is pretty fun, 13 miles at a very steady 7%-8%, about 25 miles in. The course is set up well, as about 10 miles in, you get a 3/4 mile climb of the same pitch, when everyone stops chatting all of a sudden. The long climb is, in my mind, peaceful, and pretty.
Shop Hill in the Dairyland Dare, at about 100 miles in, well, that's a booger-bear. Mt. Tabor hill at the Hilly Hundred in Indiana is only about 350', but at 22%, a real stopper.
Running, I'd have to rate the Pikes Peak marathon as my worst climb ever, followed by Maggie Valley NC's 2.5 miles of horror in the Maggie Valley run. Heartbreak Hill in Boston and Lee's Revenge in Richmond are right up there. I've run the Wells Fargo climb in Raleigh, NC, 34 stories of stairs, and that's enough.
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 2,249
Bikes: 1964 Legnano Roma Olympiade, 1973 Raleigh Super Course, 1978 Raleigh Super Course, 1978 Peugeot PR10, 2002 Specialized Allez, 2007 Specialized Roubaix, 2013 Culprit Croz Blade
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 741 Post(s)
Liked 818 Times
in
421 Posts
Gibraltar Road above Santa Barbara kicked my butt on a nice day this past December. Not a vintage ride, I rode my 2007 Roubaix with a 30/30 best gear. My '73 Super Course has a 30/34, so maybe I should have ridden that. 4300' in 6.5 miles, grades over 15%. Its been on the Amgen Tour, and our club did it as a group ride. Needless to say the group got pretty thin soon. Glad it's over, no plans to go back. Heres a YouTube video I shot.
https://youtu.be/TwG6lBIMNsI
https://youtu.be/TwG6lBIMNsI
Last edited by Slightspeed; 03-06-19 at 11:10 AM.
#22
aka Tom Reingold
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,503
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7348 Post(s)
Liked 2,471 Times
in
1,435 Posts
I rode Hillier Than Thou in New Jersey in September of 2017. The course was designed for maximum sadism. I made it, and I was able to stick to my personal challenge of not stopping during a climb. But damn, it was hard.
And I plan to do Dirty Dozen in Pittsburgh eventually, maybe even this year. It's held in November.
And I plan to do Dirty Dozen in Pittsburgh eventually, maybe even this year. It's held in November.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#23
Curmudgeon in Training
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Rural Retreat, VA
Posts: 1,956
Bikes: 1974 Gazelle Champion Mondial, 2010 Cannondale Trail SL, 1988 Peugeot Nice, 1992ish Stumpjumper Comp,1990's Schwinn Moab
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 19 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times
in
8 Posts
There is a trail around Rural Retreat Lake, here in Virginia with one very short steep stretch. I don't think it's intended for bikes, but as a kid, I went for it. I can remember feeling like I was going to flip over backwards at any moment.
Probably qualifies since it was on a 1993ish Schwinn Moab.
Probably qualifies since it was on a 1993ish Schwinn Moab.
#24
Old fart
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Appleton WI
Posts: 24,786
Bikes: Several, mostly not name brands.
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3588 Post(s)
Liked 3,400 Times
in
1,934 Posts
My memorable climb was going up to the campground at Wildcat Mountain State Park. A long steep climb in the rain, with fully loaded touring bikes. Got to the top, only to find that the last camp site had been taken by one of the cars that passed us on the way up.
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Locust NC
Posts: 716
Bikes: 1992, Cannondale R900. 1991 Paramount pdg
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 62 Post(s)
Liked 172 Times
in
66 Posts
Age,knees, old mans lament . I was born in Binghamton NY in 1940 and road just about every street in town by 1950. There are some 20%+ paved roads there and I avoided them. This year I was back there with my Cannondale and I have a large gear cassette. I am now 78 with very bad knees but I wanted to try some of the old streets on the south side of town. I got up every one but had to stop and rest several times on longer ones. Restarting after a stop is hard if there is any traffic. I do remember these as great sledding streets in the winter.
Ed
Ed